Marketers can feel paralyzed by the seemingly infinite number of marketing channels available for them to try to reach customers. They should put their customers in control by allowing them to choose how and when they wish to receive relevant information and/or make purchases. From Neolane, here's an infographic of integrated marketing statistics which shows how customers are interacting with brands through these channels.

The effectiveness of online ads is generally measured on click-through rates, though with advanced ad tracking, you may also be able to measure ads by leads and sales. The standard for online ads has long been Google AdWords. Hubspot has identified three elements are crucial for high click-through rates on AdWords.

High Relevance - an effective ad is one that is 100% relevant for the search query, from the ad to the landing page

Compelling Call-to-Action - an ad should generate a sense of urgency in the user to click it now

Value Proposition - value can be lower prices, free shipping, an easy return policy, or a time limit for a sale

These elements are also important for Facebook ads. The big challenge on Facebook is to grab the attention of the user. Google users are actively searching for something. Facebook users are just checking in on their social lives. So Facebook ads must also have an element of distraction.

This ad was seen by a college student, so it was well targeted. Words like ".edu" and "college" call attention to it, and the value is clearly stated.

Bud Light

This ad showed up for a man in his 30s. Obvious overlapping interests for Bud Light and the NFL. "Exclusively" means that this ads was created for Facebook fans only. The image attracts users with the promise of a video.

Samsung

The targeting isn't necessarily tight, but the value proposition is very clear. The image draws the eye with bright colors, the four phones featured and the $300.

Molson filmed five musicians performing "O Canada" using nothing but instruments made from Molson Canadian bottles and cans. Word of mouth marketing expert Andy Sernovitz explains on his blog why this is the type of video that could and should go viral:

Ignite Social Media has created a method for calculating the return on investment for social media called the purchase equivalency calculator. The method doesn't purport to show a connection between social and sales. Instead, it's a way to compare social media marketing to investment in traditional online advertising. Here's an infographic describing the calculations.

Social media and inbound marketing techniques make it possible for small businesses to compete with and succeed against Fortune companies. From Cox Business, here's an infographic about how the little guys stay ahead of their larger competition.

Outbound marketing requires you to invest time and money in attracting new customers one at a time, via techniques like cold calling, pay-per-click advertising and media buys. But as prospects are exposed to more and more sales messages on a daily basis, outbound marketing has become less and less effective. As a result, inbound marketing, the process by which you build and distribute valuable content that enables new customers to find out about your business without direct involvement on your part, has become more popular. From Entrepreneur.com, here's a five step guide for starting an inbound marketing campaign.

Identify Your Target CustomersBefore you can drive visitors to your website, you need to determine what type of customer you'd like to reach. The more specific your target audience, the better, as you'll be able to tailor your content to their interests. Do a thorough analysis of the types of customers you have attracted in the past.

Set Your Desired ActionOnce you've determined your audience, decide what you want them to do when they visit your site by setting up a call to action. This will depend on your business goals. Examples include making a purchase, subscribing to an email list or sharing your inbound marketing content.

Create Your Viral Campaign PiecesInclude content in your campaigns that can be easily shared via social networks. This can be text-based articles, infographic images or video, to name a few. Produce content types geared toward the way your target audience behaves online. Always include your calls to action.

Get SocialDistribute your content on the social networks where your target audience is most active. Your content is more likely to be shared if you are a valued, engaged member of your chosen social communities. Therefore, interact with those communities and share content beyond your own marketing pieces. After building trust within a community, ask power users to share your content.

Pinterest is one of the fastest growing sharing sites in the world, and the third most popular social networking site in the world. For some businesses, Pinterest can be a great place to share their work and find new leads. From Blackbox Social Media, here's an infographic about how businesses can best utilize Pinterest.